visual attention skills of very low birth-weight infants: effects of maternal stimulation
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VISUAL ATTENTION SKILLS OF VERY LOW BIRTH-WEIGHTINFANTS: EFFECTS OF MATERNAL STIMULATION.Susan Landry.
This study investigated two separate attentional processes (movement of and sustaining ofattentional focus) for six month old preterm infantsduring toy exploration. Preterms grouped accordingto medical complication into a Low Risk (LR) (n=25)and a High Risk (HR) (n=21) group were compared tofull-term infants (n=25) of comparable maternaleducation and socio-economic levels. Medical factors were hypothesized to relate to measures ofmovement of attentional focus but not to the ability to sustain attention to toys. A second objective was to determine whether these separate attentional abilities of preterms were facilitated inplay interactions with their mothers to the samedegree as for FT infants. In light of the disruptive effect of early medical complications on motherinfant interactions, the HR preterms were notexpected to be comparable to the LR and FT infantsin their ability to show increased attention andreaching for toys with their mothers. Behaviorswere coded from videotapes of the infant and matherconditions. As predicted HR preterms differed fromboth LR and FT infants on movement of attentionalfocus but not on sustaining attention. However, allgroups showed comparable facilitation of attentionin the mother condition. Infant independent attending behaviors, maternal attention directing strategies, and maternal attitutdes of warmth regardingchildrearing were important in a regression modelexplaining the infants' attending behaviors in themother condition.